METHODS FOR IMPROVING SIGNAL QUALITY IN WEARABLE BIOMETRIC MONITORING DEVICES

• US 20170359635A1
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: Aumer, Michael Edward, LeBoeuf, Steven Francis
• Granted Patent: US 10,382,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

A wearable biometric monitoring device is configured to assess the biometric signal quality of one or more sensors associated with the monitoring device, determine how the user should adjust the device to improve the biometric fit, and instruct the user to wear the biometric monitoring device a certain way. Communicating instructions to a user may include instructing the user to execute a testing regimen while wearing the biometric monitoring device. The testing regimen facilitates an estimation of a signal quality that can be used to provide feedback to the user that he/she needs to adjust the device to improve the biometric fit and the biometric signal quality.

Claims

1. A method of generating a physiological assessment of a subject, the method comprising:

collecting physiological information and motion information from the subject over a period of time via at least one wearable device worn by the subject, wherein the at least one wearable device includes at least one physiological sensor and at least one motion sensor;

determining a quality level for the physiological information at one or more selected times during the period of time, comprising calculating, via at least one processor, a ratio of physiological information to motion information in a signal from the at least one physiological sensor, wherein a higher ratio of physiological information to motion information indicates a higher quality level for the physiological information; and

generating, via the at least one processor, a physiological assessment for the subject using the physiological information at the one or more selected times having a quality level above a threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit.

4. A method of generating a physiological assessment of a subject, the method comprising:

collecting physiological information and motion information from a subject via at least one wearable device worn by the subject, wherein the at least one wearable device includes at least one physiological sensor and at least one motion sensor;

determining, via at least one processor, one or more time periods when the wearable device is being worn by the subject, comprising determining when subject motion is above a first threshold level or when signals from the at least one physiological sensor are above a second threshold level; and

generating a physiological assessment for the subject using the physiological information and/or motion information obtained during the one or more time periods when the wearable device is being worn by the subject.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining one or more time periods when the wearable device is being worn by the subject comprises determining when subject motion is above the first threshold level and when signals from the at least one physiological sensor are above the second threshold level.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb and/or a digit.

8. A method of detecting if a biometric monitoring device is being worn by a subject, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes a PPG sensor, the method comprising processing data produced by the PPG sensor via at least one processor to determine whether a heart rate variability value of the subject is within a predetermined range, wherein the heart rate variability value is calculated based on a group of consecutive R-R intervals for the subject.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating, via the at least one processor, an indication as to whether or not the biometric monitoring device is being worn by the subject responsive to whether or not the heart rate variability value of the subject is within the predetermined range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication comprises a flag.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit.

13. A method of detecting if a biometric monitoring device is being worn by a subject, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes a PPG sensor and at least one processor in communication with the PPG sensor, the method comprising the following performed via the at least one processor:

determining quality of a signal produced by the PPG sensor, comprising calculating a ratio of physiological information to motion information in a signal from the PPG sensor, wherein a higher ratio of physiological information to motion information indicates a higher quality level for the signal;

making an estimate as to whether the biometric monitoring device is being worn based on the signal produced by the PPG sensor, comprising determining if the signal is within a predetermined range; and

determining whether the biometric monitoring device is being worn by processing the estimate as to whether the biometric monitoring device is being worn in context with the quality of the signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating, via the at least one processor, an indication as to whether or not the biometric monitoring device is being worn by the subject.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication comprises a flag.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb and/or a digit.

18. A method of detecting if a biometric monitoring device is being worn by a subject, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes a PPG sensor, the method comprising processing data produced by the PPG sensor via at least one processor to determine at least one of the following:

whether an intensity of a DC component of a signal produced by the PPG sensor is within a predetermined range, an existence of a subject vital sign, whether a heart rate value (HRV) for the subject is within a predetermined range.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the subject vital sign is one of the following:

subject heart rate, subject blood pressure, subject temperature, subject respiration rate, and subject perspiration rate.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating, via the at least one processor, an indication as to whether or not the biometric monitoring device is being worn by the subject responsive to whether or not the intensity of the DC component of the signal produced by the PPG sensor is within a predetermined range, whether or not a subject vital sign exists, or whether or not the HRV for the subject is within the predetermined range.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the indication comprises a flag.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit.